Is there any science behind many moms' favorite germ-control method? You may be surprised by what we found.

Even though you want to make sure your children's immune system develops properly -- they need exposure to good and bad bacteria for that -- too much of the five-second rule isn't healthy. It depends on what hits the ground. Wet things, such as apple slices and pacifiers, collect germs quickly; harder things, such as dryer candies or crackers, not so much. And where it lands matters: The sidewalk is surprisingly clean, say researchers, while your kitchen floor may have bacteria from raw meat juices and other foods that can cause gastro-upset.

If nasty bacteria are lurking underfoot, it takes ingesting about 10,000 of them to get sick. Any fewer and the body usually fights them off rather easily. So, how soon can those 10,000 glom onto a dropped pacifier? In a flash -- whether it's 1 second or 30. Picking it up and giving it a quick rinse under running water may reduce the amount to an acceptable level -- around 1,000; but sticking it in your mouth and then giving it back to your child just adds your bacteria to what came off the floor.

View full sizePlain Dealer fileDropped that pacifier? Travel with spare pacifiers and sippy cups; use water to rinse off food and objects when possible. Or wipe it off with a paper towel and keep your fingers crossed!

What you do not want to do is put hand sanitizer on the object. It's not made for mouths! Instead, travel with spare pacifiers and sippy cups; use water to rinse off food and objects when possible. Really stuck? Wipe it off with a paper towel and keep your fingers crossed!

Health tip of the week:Staying safe it hot tubs, saunas

Millions of people enjoy dipping into steamy communal waters or baking in saunas, and the benefits are as obvious: deep tissue relaxation and stress reduction. What's not so obvious are the potential risks. So here are some tips on how to make sure your next experience will be good -- and good for you.

Hit the right temperature. Saunas are safest at 140 degrees; whirlpools/hot tubs at 100 degrees -- but make sure you get out before you feel woozy. Higher temps or too-long stays can trigger everything from falling blood pressure to dehydration. Anyone with uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease should opt out entirely, as should pregnant women. Saunas can trigger fetal damage, and hot tubs with water above 102 degrees are equally hazardous, especially in the first trimester. (Hot tub thermostats can vary by up to 4 degrees.) And guys, if you're trying to conceive, even 5 minutes in that kind of heat will KO many swimmers.

Keep it clean. In public facilities, you typically can gauge purity by the clarity of the water (good filtration) and by asking about disinfectant and pH-testing procedures. The good news: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information shows that out of 5 million public/private pools and hot tubs, there were only 13 reported outbreaks of infectious diseases. So relax. Really. Relax.

Dr. Michael Roizen is chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic and co-founder and chairman of the RealAge Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Mehmet Oz
is a professor and vice chairman of surgery at Columbia University, as
well as medical director of the Integrated Medicine Center and director
of the Heart Institute at New York Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center.
To submit questions and find ways to grow younger and healthier, go to RealAge.com.

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